Mop construction



1935- o. BALINGER 2,010,795

MOP I CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 20, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN VENTOR.

LEE QBNJNGER BY 5.25 M ATTORNEYS.

1935- L. o. BALINGER 2,010,795

Mb? CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 20, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 6, 1935 e amass OFFlCE MOP CONSTRUCTION Lee 0. BalingenLakewood, Ohio, thirds to William J, Wesseler,

assignor of two- Cleveland, Ohio Application February 20, 1933, Serial N... 657,494

r 4'Claims. (01.15-119) This invention, as indicated, relates to a mop construction or the like. More particularly, it

comprises a device adapted to serve as a means for applying cleansing liquid to a surface as one operation and removing the excess liquid from said surface as a second operation. It also provides for the use of replaceable units within a com bined holder and wringing apparatus, whereby the device may be continued in service for a long period of time by merely supplying renewals of the parts subjected to wearing contactwith thesurface. a w i A Heretofore mops of various types have been constructed both to apply cleansing liquid to'a surface and to wring the dirt and moisture from the mopping element preliminary to removing the excess moisture from the surface. The surfacecontact elements of such devices have usually been formed of fibrous material, such as various types of cords, and these, in the course of use, become worn and frayed and become very unsanitary because of the foreign matter lodged within the fibres. Such devices also offer difliculties in thoroughly wringing the moisture holding element and prevent the application of an even degree of pressureover the surface during the cleansing operation. The principal object of the present invention is to obviate the difiiculties of the types of apparatus heretofore used, and to providea surface cleaning device which will be satisfactory for use on vari-'- ous types of surfaces, and which willbe entirely sanitary in its operation, as well as of superior effectiveness in applying cleansing liquid to the surface and removing the excess thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mop construction'wherein acombined holding and wringing member is provided, withinwhich a surface contact element in theform of a reinforced sheet of liquid absorbent material is en gaged and held for movement over the surface to be cleansed, and which sheet may bemoved through such wringer member in the course of the cleansing operation to remove the excess moisture therefrom and permit the cleansing element to be used as a surface drying and polishing means.

*Another object of the invention is to provide a wringing and clamping element adapted for engagement with either an open type or closed type i of liquid applying and removing element. 3

Another object of the invention is to provide an open type liquid applying member adapted to be held between the rollers of a clamping and wringing element and adjusted to any desired position of angularity with respect to its handle, and to co-act with such wringing and clamping device so as to be resiliently supported thereon as to its contact portion during the surface cleaning operation.

Other and further objects of the invention will appear in the course of the following description.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the annexed drawings and the following description setting forth in detail certain structures embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but several of various forms in which the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawings-r Figure 1 is a perspective View showing the preferred form of construction of an apparatus embodying the principles of the invention, the handle being'omitted; f Figure 2 is a plan view showing the reinforcing blank forthe surface cleaning element before being assembled with the absorbent material; Figure 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view, taken along the line 3-3, shown in Figure 1,1001;- ing in the direction of the arrows;

Figure'4 is a view similar to Figure 3 taken along the line 44, shown in Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 5 is an end elevation showing a modified form of clamping end of the wringer mechanism and a modified type of surface cleaning element engaged therein;

, Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional-detail view showing the end construction of the surface cleaning element;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary end elevation a modified form of latching element;

Figure Sis an end view of the latching element shown in Figured, as seen from theright hand side of Figure 7; and f i Figure 9 is a central vertical sectional view of the upper roller element of the wringer andclamping device shown in Figures 1 and 5. I In the preferred form of construction, as'shown in Figure 1, the apparatus comprises a combined wringing and clamping member! within which is engaged at surface cleansing element '2. The clamping and wringing member comprises a frame 3 formed of a sheet metal plate having upstanding flanges 4 at each ofits side edges, and having downwardly turned ends 5 provided with central vertical slots 6 in eachend member over the showing "greater portionof the extent of such respective ends. The downwardly extending members are rein'fo'rcedby flanges I which are continuations of the principle of the flanges 4 and are tapered to merge with the lower edges of the frame. Centrally of the upper portion of the frame a handle receiving socket 8 is provided, such socket preferably being split so as to form a resilient engaging member and having a plurality of inwardly pressed areas 5] to pro- V e handle ellgaging lugs. The socket is preferably secured to the central upper portion of the frame by means of an angle support H suitably fastened to the frame and socket respectively at its opposite portions; A resilient clip 12 may be secured to the upper portion of the frame intermediate the handle socket and the adjacent end of the frame to receive and hold in locked relation a roller actuating member, as will be presently described The frame is adapted to receive within the same a pair of rollers, the upper roller, l3 being provided with an operating crank 54, preferably jointed to the central roller shaft outwardly of the frame. The body portion of such crank is adapted to be received within the clip 52, heretofore referred to, to hold the same in locked relation to the frame, whereby shifting movement of the roller will be prevented. The lower roller I6 is held in operative position by the projecting ends of its shaft H which bear against the lower margin of the end slot 5 of the roller frame. The frame may be formed with a closed slot 6 at each end. and be sufficiently resilient to be sprung over the ends of the roller shafts or the slot opposite the side having the crank end of the upper roller may be opened through the bottom to permit assembly of the rollers with the frame and a pin i8 may be engaged through alined sockets I9 to provide a roller bearing for the lower roller shaft at one end, as is more clearly shown in Figure 5. Likewise, in place of a removable pin such as is shown in Figure 5, a construction such as is shown in Figures 7 and 8 may be employed, wherein the frame is provided with a pair of alining bearings 25 within which is received a heavy wire roller engaging member 22 formed in alinement with the slot of the frame, with an eye 23 adapted to engage over the end 2 5 of the lower roller shaft and form a bearing therefor.

The rollers are preferably constructed in the manner shown in Figure 9, wherein a tubular metal member 25 is provided, over which a coating of rubber or other suitable material 26 is provided, andthe ends of such tubular member may be provided with plugs 22-, 28, one of such plugs serving as asupport for the stub shaft 29 carrying one pivot member 3! of the crank handle M. The other plug 28 isadapted to support a bearing pin 32 for the opposite end of the upper roller. The lower roller may be constructed in like manner with hearing pins at each end supported in suitable plugs.

The surface contact member 2 may be formed in a variety of ways, but preferably comprises a supporting plate 35, of sheet metal, preferably perforated with a series of alined apertures 35 in the manner illustrated in Figure 2, and having at each of its narrow end portions terminal projections 31, 33, in spaced relation to each other, adapted to be folded over the liquid absorbent material which is to be applied to such plate. The liquid absorbent material for use on the surface cleaning element is preferably in the form of a sheet of sponge rubber 39, which is adapted to be secured to the plate adjacent one end by being engaged beneath the terminal pro-'- jections thereof which are bent inwardly and forced into closely spaced clamping relation with the adjacent body portion of the plate, in the manner shown in Figure 3. The opposite end of the sheet of sponge rubber is preferably clamped to the adjacent portion of the plate by inserting the same beneath the projecting elements 38 at such end and forcing the same downwardly against the adjacent body portion of the plate, in the manner shown in Figure i. In this manner a roll edge M such as is shown in Figures 1 and 3 will be provided at one end of the surface cleaning element, and a tapered tongued edge 42 will be provided at the opposite end of the surface cleaning element.

After the assembly of the liquid absorbent sheet with the sheet metal reinforcing member or'preliminary to such assembly, the sheet metal member is preferably bent upon itself so as to assume, the shape shown in Figure 1, wherein the surface cleaning member provides a horizontal portion 43 of greater extent for contact with the surface and a curved portion it at one end and an overlying portion 45, The overlying portion stops short of the roll edge ll, as will be clearly seen in Figure l, leaving a throat or opening 35 through which the combined wringing and clamping member can be engaged with the surface contact member. Because of the tapered edge 42 of the surface contact element just described, the wringer may be readily applied to said element by merely turning the rolls in a direction to advance the same upon the upper area of the surface contact element. As the wringer is moved over the interengaged surface of the surface cleaning element, it is brought to a stop when it strikes the roll end ll. Thus accidental displacement is prevented. The lower roller, it will be noted, completely fills the space between the upper and lower portions of the surface contact member and thus provides a support and brace for such member.

The margins of the perforations in the metal plate are engaged by projecting areas 5| of the sponge rubber sheet, as will be clearly seen in Figure 6, and this serves to interlock the said sheet with the reinforcing metal, preventing the creeping of the sponge rubber sheet upon its supporting plate. These apertures through the metal plate also serve as drain holes through which liquid may be forced from the body portion of the sponge rubber when the wringing rollers pass over the same. Thus the liquid may be forced from the sponge rubber both from its outer and inner surfaces, and a single passage of the wringer rollers thereover serves to sufficiently dry the same to permit said member to be used as a means for removing the excess liquid from the surface operated on. s

As has been indicated, the surface cleaning element may take various forms, including that shown in Figure 5, wherein the metal supporting member is in the form of a flattened continuous sleeve 52, over which a continuous sheet of sponge rubber 53 is engaged, such plate being preferably provided with perforations similar to those shown in Figures 1 and 2, to prevent creeping of the rubber upon its supporting plate. The frame of the device is engaged with a continuous surface cleaning element of the type shown in Figure 5, by releasing the lower roller from the frame and inserting the same in clamping relation with the adjacent area of the plate and its sponge rubber covering, after the manner shown in Figure 5'. When the wringer mechanism is cranked to dry the sponge rubber, the wringing motion may be continued about the circumference of the surface cleaning member as long as desired, although a single passage of the wringer over the sponge rubber element will dry the same'sufiiciently to permit it to remove excess liquid from the surface to be cleaned.

It will be noted that the combined wringing and clamping device is adapted for engaging either type of surface contact element, and that replacement of surface cleansing elements may be accomplished with a minimum of effort whenever required.

Various positions of with reference] to the surface cleaning element may be provided for, thus, as is shown in Figure. 5, the operative position may be that indicated by the line A-A, or by the line B-B, or, if desired, by the line C-C, thus permitting the device to be used upon floors, walls or ceilings, as desired, or any other surface, irrespective of its angular position with reference to the operator. The adjustment of the device toward the end of the surface cleaning element permits the same to be pushed beneath radiators or under furniture and thus to be effective in places which are reached with much difficulty with other cleaning implements.

Other modes of applying the principle of my' invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the structure herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims, or the equivalent of such stated means, be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

An article of the character described having in combination a handle, a metal plate bent backwardly upon itself to provide two substantially fiat spaced parallel portions, a compressible and absorbent surface contact element supported on the outer surface of said plate, clamping means on said handle engaging about said surface contact element and one of the portions of said plate for adjustably connecting the handle 1 in clamping relation to said plate andsurface contact element, andmeans for moving saidlastnamed means along said plate and surfacecontact element whereby the relative position of the handle may be adjusted and excess moisture wrung from the surface contact element.

2. An article of the character described having in combination a handle, a metal plate bent backwardly upon itself and having spaced upper clampingly engaging adjustment of the handle and lower substantially fiat parallel portions, a compressible and absorbent surface contact element supported on the outer surface of said plate, and a pair of rollers carried by said handle for the upper portion of said plate and surface contact element on opposite sides of the same, one of said rollers being of substantially the same diameter as the space between the upper and lower parallel portions of said plate and serving as a brace for the lower surface contact portion of said plate whereby the relative position of the handle may be ad- J'usted and excess moisture wrung from the surface contact element. V

3. An article of the character described having in combination a handle, a metal plate formed to provide a structure with a hollow central area having spaced upper and lower substantially flat parallel portions and means connecting the same along at least one end portion, a surface contact element supported on the outer surface of said plate, a pair of rollers carried by said handle for clampingly. engaging the upper portion of said plate and surface contact element on opposite sides of the same, one of said rollers being of substantially the same diameter as the space between the upper and lower parallel portions of said plate and serving as a brace for the lower surface contact portion of said plate, and means for rotating one of said roilers.

4. An article of the character described having in combination a handle, a metal plate formed about a hollow central area and comprising a plurality of connected, spaced, fiat portions of appreciable area, a compressible and absorbent surface contact element supported on the outer surface-of said plate, clamping and wringing means on said handle engaging about said surface contact element and the other side of the plate on one of said flat portions for adjustably connecting the handle in clamping relation to said plate and surface contact element whereby the surface contact element on another fiat portion may be in surface contact position,and means for moving said clamping and wringing means along said plate and surface contact element from one fiat portion to another whereby the relative position of the handle and said flat portions may be adjusted and excess moisture wrung from the surface contact element.

LEE 0. BALINGER. 

